FROM THE STUDIO
Design ideas, insight & project stories
Renovation guides, interior trend reports, design tips and behind-the-scenes project stories from the Emma Brown Design studio in Palmerston North.
Psychology of Colour
Your home is talking.
Right now, while you are reading this, the colours on your walls, in your soft furnishings, and across your surfaces are sending signals to your brain, your nervous system, and every single person who walks through your front door.
The question is not whether your home has something to say. It is whether you like what it is saying.
Colour is not a finishing touch.
It is not something you decide after everything else is sorted.
It is the mood, the energy, the whole vibe of a space distilled into a single decision, and most people make that decision based on what feels safe rather than what feels right.
We are not talking about trends
We are talking about how Butter Yellow makes your kitchen feel like a place worth being in before 8am. How Burgundy turns a bedroom into a room you never want to leave. How Rust grounds a bathroom in something that feels ancient, warm, and completely of this moment all at once.
Whether you are standing in a paint aisle feeling completely overwhelmed, or you have been living with the same neutral walls for five years telling yourself you will change them soon, this is your sign. Your home has a lot more to say. Let it.
Hot Takes as Women in Design
What colour are you?
Giving away our trade secrets: Our 4 favourite bathroom layouts
We didn't win... But we'd do it all again.
The secret to using neutrals without ending up with a boring house
Have we finally moved on from three pendant lights over the kitchen island?
What happens when the designer becomes the client?
A Sculpted Gathering…. The real insights
The people behind the design
Lighting, and why you need it
Get to know the team
Design advice
Skylights
Take five with Kirk Brough
Kirk is our in-house construction project manager. He's our quiet overachiever and loves to see something getting done right.
Summer sun, something's begun
As we embrace the holiday season and bid farewell to another year, we are thrilled to share with you the extraordinary journey of Emma Brown Design over the past year.
Take five with Sarah Cheetham
Sarah is our in-house architectural designer. She has a real knack for interpreting our client’s design dreams and bringing them to reality.
Dream home
“A home that embodies everything about Emma’s style – striking design with a homely feel.” – EBD design team
Fast moving fun
“The brief - a friendly, energetic, and dynamic atmosphere. The challenge - a super small budget.” – EBD design team
Studio select
Products featured in our recent work and projects in progress.
Ready to bring your design vision to life?
The first step is a free 15-minute chat. No obligation. Just a conversation about what's possible.

